Case for cigarettes or the like.



0. MITCHELL. CASEFOR CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12,1916.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

OLIVER MITCHELL, OF NEEDLE-1AM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WEBSTER COMBANY, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

case-For, orsannr'rns on THE LIKE.

Application filed July 12, 1916. Scria1No.,108,937.

To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OLIVER MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Needham, in the county of Norfolk and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cases for Gig arettes or the like, of which, the following is a specification. v

My invention is a case especially adapted for carrying matches, cigars, cigarettes or the like, and consists of a flat outer case or box, made in two parts the two'parts being hinged together at one side and provided with a catch to keep the two parts closed when desired.

Within the outer case is suspended a base, upon which may be mounted any sort of holder that may be desired; the basebeing suspended and connected to the outer case in such fashion that, when the outer'case is opened, it. will be lifted andheld centrally between the two parts of the outer case. The base and holder may of course be an integral, unitary part.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view of the case in closed position, partly in section;

Fig. 2 is the same, the case being in open position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the base;

Fig. 4c is a view of the case, open;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the case, closed; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are views in section, of a modified form, in open and closed positions.

The object of my invention is to provide a case which will be of simple construction, economical to make and which will, in operation, when the outer case is opened, auto matically center, lift and present the inner holder upon the base and when the two halves or lids of the outer case are pressed together will automatically lower and retire the inner holder on its base.

I accomplish this by hanging the base upon links, which at their outer ends are attached to the inner sides of the outer case so that, as the case opens, the links go from the vertical position in which they stand before the case is opened, into approximately horizontal position, lifting the base and its holder in relation to the lids and permitting perfect access to the holder for the purpose v ner holder.

lids, A, B, from that at which they are of filling the holder or taking an article therefrom.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 21, 1917. f

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4:, I

employ as links, springs, which may serve the double function of supporting and liftmg the base, and that of throwing open the outer case when the catch is disengaged.

These'springs are set in the process of making, to approximately. the shape shown in Fig. 2. A p

" In these figures the two lids forming the outer case are marked respectively A and B and these parts are hinged togetherat a.

Upon those sides of the lids A, B, which abut where the parts are hinged together, a stop is preferably formed upon the out side, as at b,'which limits the openinginovement of the parts upon the hinge, so that they will only" separate a predetermined distance, say, until an angle of 90 between the When the outer case is closed it is obvious that these springs will be bent as seen in Fig. 1 and that, in this position, the dis torted spring will be under maximum strain and tend constantly to throw the outer case open, since, when the catch D of the outer case is opened, the springs S will tend to straighten out, as seen in Fig. 2, to the shape to which they were orignally set and, in so doing, will throw the lids A, B, open until they are stopped by the surface, I), contacting or by any other suitable stop.

Mounted upon the springs S and securely fastened thereto is the base C, for the in- At the opposite side of the hinged together, the catch D is provided to hold the two lids together when the case is closed, against the effort of the springs S, which tend constantly to throw the lids open.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated a modification in which ordinary pivoted links S are made use of, instead of the spring links S. In this form a hinge spring, a, is employed to throw open the lids A, B, and thus ing opened as shown in Figs. 2 and l the inner holder may be filled with cigarettes or other articles, which it is desired to carry, and the case is then closed by bringing the parts A and B together andengaging the catch D. When the lids A and B are closed together, the end, :12, of-each link attached to the lids, is broughtover the other end of the link and the link itself into a position parallelwith the sides of the in ner holder H and the other links, and the base C is, lowered toward the hinge, a, of

- the case A, B. When the case A, B, is permittedto open, the separation of the lids A, B, tends to draw each link into a lengthwise relation with the opposite link of the pair, lifting and centering the base and holderr The flexible and resilient link has the advantage for certain uses over the ordinary link, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, that each link S pe rforms the functions of the links S and in addition requires no pivots and also each link S performs the function of the spring a shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

I have shown in the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and. 4 and have described in the specification, the inner member 0 as a carrier upon five cents each, by addressing Washington, D. 0.

which any desired holder might be mounted. It is obvious, that in certain cases, no special holder would be required, as, when the base was shaped to receive some particular article, for example, a box of cigarettes, which when emptied would be removed and a full box substituted. In general, however, some form of holder would be mounted-upon and secured to the base or made integral therewith.

I claim: I

1. In a cigarette case or the like, a pair of hinged lids; a base; a pair of springlinks connecting with and suspending the base between said lids. 1

y 2. A cigarette case or the like including hinged lids, a base arranged within the case, and links connecting the base and lids to elevate the base in the open movement of the lids, the links being connected to the base at approximately the lowest point thereof and being of a length to cause a substantial lifting of the base in the opening of the lids, the links holding the base in spaced relation to the lids in all positions of the parts and compelling a movement of the base free of possible contact with the I lids. I

Signed by me at Boston, Mass, this 28th day of February, 1916.

i OLIVER MITCHELL. v Witnesses:

JosEPH T. BRENNAN, ANNA B. LINDSAY.

the Commissioner of Patents, 

